Morgan Wallen was arrested for throwing a chair at Eric Church’s Chief’s in Nashville.
Country music performer Morgan Wallen, recipient of eleven 2023 Billboard Music Awards, was apprehended on Sunday night at Chief’s, a newly established six-story honky-tonk in Nashville co-owned by his business partner and longtime confidant Eric Church.
Wallen currently faces charges of three counts of reckless endangerment and one count of disorderly conduct.
According to the police report, the 30-year-old vocalist purportedly hurled a chair from the establishment’s rooftop onto the street, just prior to 11 p.m. Metro Nashville police officers, who were positioned in front of the establishment, witnessed the chair landing a mere few feet away from them.
Upon reviewing the security footage, officers observed Wallen “lunging and throwing an object over the roof.”
Witnesses reported that Wallen chuckled after the incident.
In a statement provided to the Tennessean by Wallen’s representatives, his attorney, Worrick Robinson of Worrick Robinson Law, stated, “At 10:53 p.m. CT on Sunday evening, Morgan Wallen was arrested in downtown Nashville for reckless endangerment and disorderly conduct. He is fully cooperating with authorities.”
Wallen was released on $15,250 bond at approximately 3:30 a.m. on Monday. He is scheduled to appear in court on May 3, coinciding with one of his three planned concert dates at Nissan Stadium in Nashville. Wallen is slated to perform there from May 2-4.
No information has been provided regarding a rescheduled date for his canceled 2023 performance at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Mississippi, originally scheduled for April 20, 2024, or if his headline appearance at the Stagecoach Festival on April 28 will be affected by his recent arrest.
Last year, Wallen canceled a show on April 24, 2023, citing the need for vocal rest. It was early on in his seven-month international tour, and he refunded the ticket cost while expressing apologies to his fans.
Wallen’s Prior Incidents on Lower Broadway
Wallen has previously encountered legal troubles on Lower Broadway.
On May 24, 2020, he was arrested for public intoxication and disorderly conduct outside Kid Rock’s honky-tonk in downtown Nashville.
According to the arrest warrant, Wallen was escorted out of Kid Rock’s Big Ass Honky Tonk Rock N’ Roll Steakhouse around 11 p.m. for “kicking glass items.” On the street, police noticed his involvement in verbal altercations with passersby.
“Officers provided multiple opportunities for (Wallen) to depart with his friends, but he refused,” stated Metro at the time, highlighting his potential threat to himself and the public.Wallen recently made an announcement about his plans to open a new bar in Nashville named ‘This Bar’ in 2024, as a way to pay tribute to his Tennessee roots. The establishment, located at 107 4th Avenue North on Lower Broadway, will be a six-story venue that combines live music and dining. The choice of name for the bar was inspired by Morgan Wallen’s song “This Bar” released in 2019, where he sings about finding himself in a bar and forming new connections.
In a press release addressing the opening, Wallen expressed his enthusiasm by stating, “I have sung about finding myself in ‘This Bar,’ and now it is becoming a reality. This venue will encompass all that I love and will draw inspiration from my devoted fans and their unwavering support for me and my music.”
However, Wallen did not attend the 2024 CMT Music Awards held in Austin, Texas, on Sunday.
CMT removed Wallen’s music from its platforms in 2021 following a controversy where he was recorded using a racial slur while under the influence outside his residence. The ban has been in place for three years.
CMT representatives took to social media to state, “We have a strict policy against any words or actions that conflict with our core values of embracing diversity, equity, and inclusion.”
After a successful performance headlining his “One Night at a Time” tour at Indianapolis’ Lucas Oil Stadium on April 4th and 5th, Wallen was spotted at Chief’s in Nashville to celebrate.
Chief’s had its grand opening on April 5th with the first night of Church’s “To Beat The Devil” residency at the intimate Neon Steeple venue, which can accommodate up to 400 guests.
Church’s venue was initially announced in early 2022, with AJ Capital leading the renovation efforts. AJ Capital has established itself as a prominent real estate developer in Music City during the past decade.
Both Church and Wallen have been actively involved in Nashville’s music community through joint projects, like the restoration of North Nashville’s historic Club Baron venue. They received support from Wallen’s Morgan Wallen Foundation and donors, including Church, through the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee and the Chief Cares Fund.
Furthermore, Church and Wallen have recently revealed their partnership in the acquisition and relaunch of the 152-year-old Field & Stream outdoor lifestyle brand. They are also collaborating on a limited-edition apparel collection under the Field & Stream brand and are co-producing an outdoor fall “Field & Stream Music Festival” in collaboration with Southern Entertainment.
News Source:tennessean.com